Taking the Headache Out of the New Year

Do you ever get tension headaches? If so, you’re probably getting
a lot of them right about now! Even holidays like Valentine's Day
can be stressful.

If you’re working in an industry that manages Valentine's Day
for the public, your headaches might be increasing. Here’s why you
should look into a Chattanooga, TN chiropractor visit ASAP.

What Causes Tension Headaches

The interesting fact of the matter is that the exact source of tension
headaches isn’t known. You’d think it would be pretty straightforward—when
you get tense from stress, the muscles in your neck and shoulders contract,
cutting off blood supply to muscles in the head. But according to
Mayo Clinic, research suggests that muscle contractions aren’t the cause.

We do know what triggers them, though. Mayo Clinic suggests stress is the
biggest hitter.
This British health website lists other common tension headache triggers as anxiety, squinting, poor
posture, dehydration, skipping meals, bright lights, loud sounds, and
certain smells. You may also find that you get a headache if you wear
a headband too long or wear your hair up in a bun all day.

During winter in Chattanooga, the most common trigger is still probably
stress. For anyone working in retail or dealing with the public in early
February, the pressure to get purchases out the door to please customers
can bring on a headache more than once a day.

What an Adjustment Does

Chiropractic is good for treating tension headaches without adding medication
to your bloodstream or calling for an invasive procedure. It can be a
reliable place to turn if you don’t like popping ibuprofen or are
having a hard time getting rid of them on your own.

In an adjustment, the bones in your spine are aligned correctly. When this
occurs, the muscles in your back that were compensating for an off-balance
back can be released from their tension, leading to release of tension
all over the body. Makes sense that it would affect the muscles in your
neck and shoulders that are contributing to a tension headache, doesn’t it?
This chiropractic article goes into depth about how chiropractic care works with your body to relieve
headaches.

How to Keep Tension Headaches Away

Any Chattanooga, TN chiropractor will tell you that there are a few tried-and-true
ways to avoid getting tension headaches. One answer is simply put: to
avoid your triggers. But there are other tips to steer your lifestyle
away from the triggers.

For one thing, if your work demands that you sit in the same position for
long periods of time, it’s time to start moving. Take frequent breaks
(every 30 or 60 minutes) to move around and stretch if you sit in front
of a computer all day, work at a sewing machine or other table-based trade,
or need to sit and read a lot.
Stretches like these on breaks will help keep your blood circulating.

If you feel a headache coming on, a low-impact aerobic exercise like walking
or swimming will often help.

Once you learn how to avoid triggers by maintaining a lifestyle that keeps
muscles from remaining tense, you will probably find that your tension
headaches decrease in frequency. But remember, a Chattanooga, TN chiropractor
is always available to help your body relax, too.

Have you ever seen a chiropractor during a holiday?

Chiropractors in Chattanooga do usually see an influx of patients around
the new year, for many more reasons than just tension headaches. But that
doesn’t rule out the beginning of the year as the perfect time to
start seeing a chiropractor in Chattanooga! Try one out today if you have
repeated tension headaches.

Have you ever seen a chiropractor for tension headaches? Or been to one
during a holiday? We want to know your story, so leave us a comment right now!